


Midnight cocoa

by ZoudiazZoe



Series: James & Keith Week 2018 [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Day 2. Nightmares, Hurt/Comfort, Jaith is Jeith or what, James and Keith Week 2018, James is worried about his future boyfriend, M/M, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-12
Updated: 2018-09-12
Packaged: 2019-07-11 08:47:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15968861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZoudiazZoe/pseuds/ZoudiazZoe
Summary: “You look like a cat that's been possessed,” a familiar voice says. Keith tunes all his senses toward the direction from where it came from.James is standing there, in the middle of the corridor. So many hours past curfew.Chocolate is always the answer (unless you're allergic.)





	Midnight cocoa

There is a fear clinging grimly in the air. He can feel it. It is drawing closer.

Keith takes a deep breath; it is not the time to be fear-paralyzed. He decides the best thing to do is to keep on walking.  
The memory of how he got himself in that unknown place is vague, practically non-existent, but it is there. He knows it was his fault, somehow; as he knows that he has to fight his way out.  
There’s a war outside, and he’s got to keep on fighting. He possesses no time to waste inside of wherever place he’s stuck in.  
He owes it all to his friends, to his family.

Chills run up his spine, that isn’t something normal. He stumbles awkwardly and falls.

Damn it! His vision betrayed him and he lost his balance.  
The fall is abrupt, and he hits water, no. It is not water, for it is way too dense and hot.  
His exposed skin is aching. No, it is severely burning. He gasps because of the dreadful feeling to regret his decision as soon as the viscous liquid makes its way into his mouth. Nasty.

Keith opens his eyes; he needs to focus in order to get out of there. Then he sees it. His skin is purple, and his ears hurt. Everybody is in front of him, looking at him with vindictive hatred; he’s used to the stares full of reject, but that hatred….

Not even the fake Shiro looked at him like that. It hurts, it hurts bad. He turns to Allura, the same glare, Lance, Pidge, even Hunk, and Coran. His thin fingers reach for the crystal, maybe if he gets to fracture it all will end. The gaunt faces of the people he knows and cares about mingle together, creating a hideous creature. Keith recognizes him. He knows him!

The druid he fought in that armed Galra cruiser. Why is he there? What has he done to him? He screams or tries to. More corrosive liquid goes through his sore throat against his will. Keith knows he’s not going to last much longer.

The druid’s hideous face transforms once again, this time, he has stolen the face of James. He cannot stand it. The glass breaks harshly under his fists, blood splatters everywhere.  
The air is burning his sensitive nostrils, but at least there is air this time. Darkness follows.

 

Keith screams one last time as he sits bolt upright. Heavy droplets of sweat fall from his jaw, he is soaked and cold.

 

He cannot be in that dingy room anymore. If he hears another tick coming from the used clock on the wall, he’s going to genuinely scream in despair. As fast as his numbed members and his ragged breathing allow him to, he grabs his shabby jacket and puts on his boots.

The air in the corridor is cold. Colder than he remembers the nights in the middle of the desert.

A noise catches his attention; his eyes scan the place for the source of such.

“You look like a cat that's been possessed,” a familiar voice says. Keith tunes all his senses toward the direction from where it came from.

James is standing there, in the middle of the corridor. So many hours past curfew.  
Keith’s first thought is to merely pass him and not to engage in reckless provocation. James’ dark eyes are shining and following his every breath. Keith shudders, he doesn’t know what to do. Should he answer his comment? After all, Galra are really similar cats in so many aspects. It was not an insult, even if the MFE’s pilot meant it like one.  
Is Keith really that scary at night? He wonders if his eyes shine yellowish or something.

Before he can stop his mind and make a decision about answering or ignoring James, the before mentioned speaks once again.

“Do you still have a sweet tooth?” Asks James out of the blue. Keith is startled, he can barely nod his head in confusion; that makes the other pilot chuckle. “Of course you do, sugar is the downfall of us, southerners.”

 

None says nothing. James just starts walking and Keith instantly follows him, dumbfounded. Is he undoubtedly going after James Griffin, an avid rule follower, into one of the Kitchens at midnight?

He guesses some things actually change. He can’t help but smirk at the memory of a younger James scolding or trying to scold him, for not obeying rules and more.  
The leader of Voltron wonders, if he could travel back in time and report this to a 16-years-old James, what face would he make? He would deny it and even challenge him for lying. There’s a funny mental image in his head.

He is so immersed in his thoughts, that he doesn’t acknowledge James’ presence until a steaming cup is placed in front of him. He arches a brow, James only points at it.

“Drink it,” he says. “It’ll warm you up.” Keith doesn’t get it at first. He doesn’t need any kind of warming.

However, he stills grabs the cup. He inhales, it has a nice aroma coming from it. Sweet and spicy. He wonders if it tastes the same. Tentatively, he sips it.  
It is better than he had expected it to be. He can’t describe the taste with words, for he has long forgotten them, but maybe the most precise thing to it is home.  
James has half a smile on his face, Keith nods his head not knowing what to say to him. He didn’t know the MFE’s pilot was qualified to cook until now. It was, certainly, a pleasant surprise.

Keith lets go of his thoughts. He is completely immersed in the healing sensation, so deep inside that, he doesn’t notice that James is cleaning one of his hands. When he realizes his guard is down, he fidgets.

But the other young man is not having any of it. He pulls more vigorously—without hurting him more—and continues the proper treatment. The Black Paladin is just noticing the dried blood covering his left hand. He had hurt himself, again.

 

“I know,” James says gently. He lets go carefully of Keith’s hand once it is perfectly clean and bandaged. Keith doesn’t need to ask. They don’t require words to convey themselves to the other, that astonishes and terrifies him at the same time. Deep down, Keith is glad he doesn’t have to relieve the thought of his horrid nightmares.

Because this is not the first (even though it has been so far one of the worsts), and surely, will not be the last one. James coughs, his face is slightly red.

“The first time I heard it,” he says, eyes everywhere but in Keith. “I called Mawmaw; this is her recipe.” A pregnant silence falls between them. Keith’s whole face is hot—he doesn’t know if it’s because of the chocolate, or for the embarrassing fact that James has heard him scream and fight in his dreams, or….

“You did it for me,” Keith says, even though he intended it as a question. He’s a blunt person, and he will always be. James’ face goes redder than before. Neither of them is looking into the other’s eyes, but they can’t stop staring at the other. It is fine, Keith believes that if it’s with James everything is fine. “Thanks.” He mumbles as he takes another sip.

At some point, their hands brush. And it is enough for them … for now.


End file.
